


Guildelüec ha Gualadun

by fresne



Category: Lais of Marie de France
Genre: Eliduc, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-03
Updated: 2013-06-03
Packaged: 2017-12-13 20:35:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/828595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fresne/pseuds/fresne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gualadun saw the bed where the maiden lay, looking like a rose-bud. She drew back the cover, and saw her slender body, her long arms and white hands and her long, slim, shapely fingers, and then she knew the truth about why her husband was grieving. </p><p>She began to weep, and to lament the young woman. She sat down in tears beside the bed.  Until the power of love and magic weasels brought the blush of life to rose-bud cheeks. </p><p>Surely this rose, this Guildelüec should be her husband's bride. As Guildelüec gazed upon Gualadun, her eyes glorious with tears, she knew that surely it should be Gualadun who should be Eliduc's wife.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Guildelüec ha Gualadun

**Author's Note:**

> This came out of a discussion of trope in fanfic where a character from a canonical pairing says to their canonical pairing, "No, no, you're better for fandom pairing, than I would be. You should be together." and goes off to stand in the corner.
> 
> I've always found [Eliduc](http://www.outremer.co.uk/eliduc.html), a hilarious example of that. This very medieval story boils down to the story of a man (Eliduc), who is married to Gualadun, but in love with Guildeluec. So, after Guildeluec falls in a dead faint at learning her love is married, what should happen, but Gualadun should find her and bring her back to life by placing a flower in her mouth from the mouth of a magic weasel (yes, a weasel).
> 
> Hand wave some intervening years, Gualadun and Guildeluec end up becoming nuns together. 
> 
> So by hilarious, I mean I completely ship Gualadun and Guildeluec and possibly so did Marie de France, who wrote the story. 
> 
> This is a scene of might of have been between these two women when they meet.
> 
>  
> 
> If after reading my fiction here, you would like to read more about me and my writing check out my profile.

Gualadun kept looking at Guildelüec. She thought to herself how silent upon the altar Guildelüec had looked like a rose-bud waiting for the sun to rise over the castle walls. Now on blush of the sun, she bloomed in life and beauty. Guillidadun said to her, "My Beauty, you are without flaw, and none but you can give Eliduc joy."

Love tied a string wrapped and knotted around Guildelüec's heart compelling her toward Gualadun. She was unable to stand still. She stepped forward to come closer to Gualadun with her eyes bright with tears for Guildelüec. She came to stand quite close. She said, "When I heard his wife mentioned, I could not but faint from sorrow at what I heard. Now that I see your graceful face and charitable heart, I know that I am only a pretender to your throne in the valiant heart of Eliduc."

That same string that Love wrapped and knotted around Guildelüec's heart tugged upon Gualadun's. She came to stand closer. Further, her eyes could not stop gazing upon the fair form and face of Gualadun. She saw her long slender fingers pleating together in distress and she could not bear it be so. "Jewel of Beauty, do not distress yourself so. I was merely the dawn to your sunrise. It is only you who rules over Eliduc's heart and are worthy to be the queen there."

Guildelüec stepped forward as the string compelled her to do and if before she stood quite close, now she stood closer yet for she could not bear to be at any distance from Gualadun. "No, it is only you who are worthy to be his wife, for it is you who have paid such close attention to him that you have brought a stranger back to life."

So close they stood that Gualadun could smell the sweet scent of the red flower upon Guildelüec's breathe. "My Rose, do not mislead yourself in this way. I am overjoyed to deliver you to the man who loves you."

The gap between them became an aching pain at these words and Guildeleuc moved to end it. She sighed out and Gualadun sighed in. Gualadun tasted the flower in Guildelüec's mouth and felt her long, slim, shapely fingers upon her cheeks as one might touch the petals of a flower. Gualadun whispered between kisses that she would take the veil. That she would declare Eliduc free. Guildelüec rewarded words with exceeding rejoicing. 

They comforted each other in this way until Gualadun led her home from the chapel of the hermitage. They sent for Eliduc, who was overjoyed to see Guildelüec restored to life. He gazed upon them and heard their story. He felt the wound of Love's arrow heal in the face of such joy.

He said, "Christ may have many brides, but it is not right and proper for a man to have more than one." He set aside some lands around the hermitage, and endowed them with great wealth. When everything was properly prepared, Gualadun took the veil, and thirty nuns with her. Eliduc founded a monastery on the other side of the castle, where he surrendered himself to live. He sent his beloved, who he loved so dearly, to live with his first wife, who she received in all honor. They lived together faithfully and prayed to God for their love, to be merciful to him, and he prayed likewise for them.

The courteous Britons in olden days made this lay about the adventure of these three people, to remember it, for it should not be forgotten.


End file.
